Nigeria has recorded another major victory in its global campaign to reclaim looted cultural treasures, as the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy on Monday officially received two Benin bronzes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The returned artifacts a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative head were repatriated from the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, decades after they were looted during the 1897 British invasion of the Benin Kingdom.
At the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the moment as a proud milestone for the nation’s cultural revival.
She commended Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar for championing the diplomatic process, noting that the repatriation marks “a historic moment for Nigeria, the ministry, and the good people of the Benin Kingdom.” She added that more discussions are ongoing with global institutions still holding Nigerian artifacts.
The Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, praised all stakeholders involved, including His Royal Highness Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, who led the recovery negotiations. Holloway emphasized that the return “is symbolic not just for Benin, but for Nigeria’s wider restitution struggle,” referencing similar efforts to recover ancient objects from Ife.
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Three high chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, witnessed the symbolic handover.
According to reports from Arts Newspapers in the U.S., the MFA formally transferred the bronzes at Nigeria House in New York in June 2025. MFA director Matthew Teitelbaum said it was “deeply gratifying” to return the pieces after 12 years in the museum’s care.
The development aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, which prioritizes cultural restoration and national identity.
